Health Minister disappointed with ‘below expectation’ uptake of free seasonal vaccines

Uptake of the influenza, COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccines offered for free by the government has been below expectations, Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela told parliament.

“We expected to have a stronger uptake of the vaccines,” he said in reply to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Katya De Giovanni on Monday afternoon.

Figures obtained by MaltaToday show that 33,417 people took the influenza vaccine, while 12,247 took the pneumococcal vaccine, which was offered for free for the first time this year.

Even fewer took the COVID-19 vaccine with just 6,610 people opting to take the free jab.

The vast majority of people who got innoculated were elderly persons aged 61 and over.

So far, 23,545 people aged 61 and over took the influenza jab, 12,167 the PCV vaccine and 4,912 the COVID vaccine.

Abela said that while uptake of the seasonal influenza vaccine was “encouraging”, the health authorities wanted people to take all three vaccines since they helped prevent sickness and medical complications, especially in vulnerable and elderly people.

“Vaccinations are the best way to avoid sickness, death and overcrowding in hospitals... these are sicknesses that can lead to death,” Abela told parliament.

He said the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine was negatively impacted by the “bad press in social media” where conspiracy theories were fomented and peddled.

“My appeal to people is to get vaccinated for the three medical conditions... the money is there, the vaccines are available but it seems the willingness to take them up is missing,” the Health Minister said.

The three vaccinations are being offered for free at 10 health centres across Malta and Gozo.